Exposure to gangs in low-income urban communities and substance use among Hispanic youth.

A third of Hispanic youth live below the poverty line, making them vulnerable for exposure to gangs, substances, and violence, all of which have been associated with substance use. The aim of the present study was to test the link between these variables, using a multiple mediation model. Results suggest that the relationship between gang exposure and adolescent substance use was mediated by both access to substances and exposure to violence. Findings provide insight into how gang exposure impacts outcomes for low-income youth. Implications for prevention and policy are discussed.

Parent perceptions of mental illness in Chinese American youth.

BACKGROUND: Although parents are often the first to facilitate help-seeking in their children, parental perceptions regarding mental health serve as a significant barrier to the access of mental health services. This study examined mental health perceptions held by Chinese immigrant parents of youth. METHODS: Eighteen parents (13 female, 5 male), who identified as having children between the ages of 13 and 21 years, participated in audio-recorded interviews using five vignettes depicting depression with and without a somatic emphasis, schizophrenia with paranoid features, attenuated psychosis syndrome, and social anxiety in youth. Questions about potential causes, likely diagnosis, and health-seeking behaviors in relation to these vignettes were asked. Interviews were analyzed for themes using a deductive-inductive hybrid approach, informed by the explanatory models that have shed light on Asian perceptions of mental illness and approaches to help-seeking. RESULTS: While Asian groups are often considered as lacking in mental health knowledge, we found that Chinese immigrant parents were comfortable with psychological terminology as it pertained to identifying causes and describing supportive strategies and the seeking of Western-based providers. However, the majority of Chinese immigrant parent respondents did not easily note suicidality. Furthermore, respondents did not consider social anxiety as a major mental health issue among Chinese immigrant parents and attributed social anxiety to personality or cultural differences. DISCUSSION: These findings provide an understanding of how Chinese immigrant parents conceptualize mental illness and help-seeking, which may be helpful for providers when working with Chinese immigrant parents of children that have a mental health concern.

Parenting within residential neighborhoods: A pluralistic approach with African American and Latino families at the center.

The intersection of SES and race-ethnicity impact youth development at the family and neighborhood levels. The confluence of neighborhood structural and social characteristics intersects to impact parenting multiple ways. Within lower-income neighborhoods, there is variability in economic and racial-ethnic demographics and social characteristics and a multitude of different lived experiences. We use a person-centered approach to understand how a plurality of neighborhood social characteristics shape parents' ethnic-racial socialization and monitoring strategies, normative parenting practices for diverse families. With 144 African American and Latino families in a new destination context-areas lacking an enduring historical and economic presence of same-ethnic populations-we examined whether we could replicate neighborhood profiles found in other neighborhood contexts using four neighborhood social process indicators (i.e., connectedness, cohesion and trust, informal social control, and problems), identified family- and neighborhood-level predictors of profiles, and explored differences in ethnic-racial socialization and parental monitoring knowledge by profile. We replicated three neighborhood profiles-integral (high on all positive social dynamics and low problems), anomic (low on all positive social dynamics and high problems), and high problems/positive relationships. Caregivers in these profiles differed in family SES and neighborhood disadvantage such that those in anomic neighborhoods had the lowest income-to-needs ratio whereas those in integral neighborhoods experienced the highest neighborhood disadvantage and lowest proportion of Hispanic residents. Egalitarianism, an ethnic-racial socialization message, and parental monitoring levels differed by neighborhood. Findings suggest African American and Latino families' unique experiences in a new destination context, signaling a complex interplay between race-ethnicity, SES, and place.

Improving Tribal Nation-Specific Mortality Numerators in the South and Eastern Tribes.

: The United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc, Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) has been conducting a Tribal Nation-specific mortality surveillance project for approximately 13 years. Coded death records are received from states via one of 3 data release methods (open, closed, direct) and matched to Tribal Nation electronic health records. Data quality varies depending on the method of data release. The TEC plans a new method to better identify Tribal Nation decedents and return more robust information to improve Tribal Nation-specific mortality data and strengthen Tribal data sovereignty.

The moderating effect of neighborhood sense of community on predictors of substance use among Hispanic urban youth.

Hispanic adolescents represent a disproportionate number of youth living in urban communities. These youth confront significant social problems that increase their likelihood for substance use. However, youth that have a greater neighborhood sense of community are postulated, through empowerment theory, to be less influenced by negative environmental experiences and less inclined to engage in drug and alcohol use. We examine the moderating effect neighborhood SOC has on predictors of substance use among Hispanic (N = 538) urban youth in low- (n = 246) and high-conflict homes (n = 292). Using logistic regression analysis and a plotting technique to examine interaction effects, we explore these relationships and provide recommendations for practice and prevention.

Ethnic differences in prevalence and correlates of self-harm behaviors in a treatment-seeking sample of emerging adults.

The present study examined differences between White and ethnic minority emerging adults in the prevalence of self-harm behaviors ­ i.e., non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SA) ­ and in well-documented risk (i.e., depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation (SI), substance use, abuse history) and protective factors (i.e., religiosity/spirituality, family support, friend support) associated with NSSI and SAs. Emerging adults (N=1156; 56% ethnic minority), ages 17­29 (M=22.3, S.D.=3.0), who were presented at a counseling center at a public university in the Northeastern U.S., completed a clinical interview and self-report symptom measures. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the association between risk and protective factors in predicting history of NSSI-only, any SA, and no self-harm separately among White and ethnic minority individuals. Ethnic differences emerged in the prevalence and correlates of NSSI and SAs. Social anxiety was associated with SAs among White individuals but with NSSI among ethnic minority individuals. Substance use was a more relevant risk factor for White individuals, and friend support was a more relevant protective factor for ethnic minority individuals. These findings suggest differing vulnerabilities to NSSI and SAs between White and ethnic minority emerging adults.

Developmentally and culturally appropriate screening in primary care: development of the behavioral health checklist.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the construct validity of the Behavioral Health Checklist (BHCL) for children aged from 4 to 12 years from diverse backgrounds. METHOD: The parents of 4-12-year-old children completed the BHCL in urban and suburban primary care practices affiliated with a tertiary-care children's hospital. Across practices, 1,702 were eligible and 1,406 (82.6%) provided consent. Children of participating parents were primarily non-Hispanic black/African American and white/Caucasian from low- to middle-income groups. Confirmatory factor analyses examined model fit for the total sample and subsamples defined by demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The findings supported the hypothesized 3-factor structure: Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Inattention/Hyperactivity. The model demonstrated adequate to good fit across age-groups, gender, races, income groups, and suburban versus urban practices. CONCLUSION: The findings provide strong evidence of the construct validity, developmental appropriateness, and cultural sensitivity of the BHCL when used for screening in primary care.

Experiences of racial discrimination and relation to sexual risk for HIV among a sample of urban black and African American men.

This study aimed to examine racial discrimination and relation to sexual risk for HIV among a sample of urban black and African American men. Participants of this cross-sectional study were black and African American men (N = 703) between the ages of 18 and 65 years, recruited from four urban clinical sites in the northeast. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the relation of reported racial discrimination to the following: (1) sex trade involvement, (2) recent unprotected sex, and (3) reporting a number of sex partners in the past 12 months greater than the sample average. The majority of the sample (96%) reported racial discrimination. In adjusted analyses, men reporting high levels of discrimination were significantly more likely to report recent sex trade involvement (buying and/or selling) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) range = 1.7-2.3), having recent unprotected vaginal sex with a female partner (AOR = 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-2.0), and reporting more than four sex partners in the past year (AOR = 1.4, 95% CI, 1.1-1.9). Findings highlight the link between experiences of racial discrimination and men's sexual risk for HIV.

Coping zone construction and mapping: an exploratory study of contextual coping, PTSD, and childhood violence exposure in urban areas.

This mixed-method study explored how urban children aged 11 to 14 cope with multicontextual violence exposures simultaneously and analyzed the immediate action steps these children took when faced with such violence over time. Participants' (N = 12) narratives were initially analyzed utilizing a grounded theory framework as 68 violent incidents were coded for perceived threat and coping levels. Coping strategies were examined from a Transactional Model of Stress and Coping perspective taking into account the context and severity of each violent exposure itself. A comprehensive assessment map was developed to plot and visually reveal participants (N = 12) overall contextualized coping responses. Overall "coping zone" scores were generated to index perceived threat and coping responses associated with each violent incident described. These scores were then correlated with indicators of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results indicated that urban children with less optimal coping zone scores across context have a greater likelihood of PTSD than do children who do not.

The role of sociocultural information in mental health intake sessions.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians are advised to provide culturally competent care but little is known about how this directive translates into clinical practice. we investigated how this directive was implemented by describing how clinicians utilize sociocultural (SC) information, and how it impacts the clinical encounter. METHOD: Data were collected in clinics in the Northeast of the U.S. Clients (N=129) and clinicians (N=47) participated in three components of the study: videotaping of the clinical intake, a qualitative interview, and reporting on sociodemographics. thematic analysis of interviews was conducted using NVivo7. RESULTS: Clinicians used sociocultural information to understand clients' clinical presentation; inform diagnosis; differentiate psychopathology from contextual circumstances that influence behavior; create empathy; and individuate clients. LIMITATIONS: Since the study only included data from public clinics, the results may not generalize to other settings. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating SC information appears critical to client engagement and to bonding between client and clinician, particularly for diverse populations utilizing public clinics.

We fall down: the African American experience of coping with the homicide of a loved one.

Rates of homicide among African Americans are much higher than those of other racial or ethnic groups. Research has demonstrated that homicide can be psychologically debilitating for surviving family members. Yet, exploring the experiences of homicide victims' surviving loved ones has received little attention. This study examined the coping strategies of African American survivors of homicide. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 8 African American family members (ages 18-82) of homicide victims. Survivors were recruited from the Massachusetts Office of Victim Services and from homicide survivor support, school, and community groups throughout the New England area. Interviews were conducted using open-ended questions derived from coping, support network, grief, and bereavement literatures. Results indicate that the primary coping strategies utilized by African American survivors of homicide victims are spiritual coping and meaning making, maintaining a connection to the deceased, collective coping and caring for others, and concealment. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

"Esteeme a little of fish": fish, fishponds, and farming in eighteenth-century New England and the Mid-Atlantic.

Prior to the advent of scientific aquaculture in the mid-nineteenth century, English farming manuals of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries instructed American colonists in the "art of husbandry," imparting advice and passing on the best-known strategies for keeping and rearing fish in enclosed ponds. The development of such ponds in the New England and Mid-Atlantic colonies during the eighteenth century marked the culmination of a long process by which British-American colonists adapted to declines in natural fish populations brought on by over-fishing and disruption of habitat by water-powered mills. The development of private fishponds as an increasingly important component of American mixed husbandry practices in long-settled areas by the end of the eighteenth century illustrates early American farmers' ability to successfully adapt to self-wrought changes in their physical environment.

Thomas Minor's world: agrarian life in seventeenth-century New England.

For over thirty years (1653-1685), Thomas Minor kept a diary recording his activities as a farmer in Stonington, Connecticut. This article uses Minor's diary, the only extant document of its kind for the seventeenth century, to reconstruct key features of the colonial New England agrarian experience. Arguing that work played as significant a role as religion in shaping early New Englanders' lives, the article examines not only how farming contributed to the Minors' economic prosperity and independence, but also how its physical demands and seasonal rhythms shaped Thomas Minor's worldview more generally. Agriculture provided an important context for Minor's relations with his wife and sons, with nature, and even with a sense of his own mortality. Minor emerges as someone less interested in calculating profit and loss on his farm than in accomplishing a hard day's work as a steward of the land that he hoped would support his family for generations to come.

Effect of ethnic group membership on ethnic identity, race-related stress, and quality of life.

This study examined the effect of ethnic group membership on ethnic identity, race-related stress, and quality of life (QOL). The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, the Index of Race Related Stress--Brief Version, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life--Brief Version were administered to 160 male and female participants from 3 ethnic groups (African American, Asian American, and Latino American). Results indicated that African American participants had significantly higher race-related stress, ethnic identity, and psychological QOL scores than did Asian and Latino American participants. A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that ethnic identity and cultural racism were significant predictors of QOL and accounted for 16% of the total variance for the entire sample.